We had an important lesson in Irish history  today visiting the Kilmainham Gaol which is now a museum. The Gaol played an important part in Irish history, as many leaders of Irish rebellions were imprisoned and some executed in the prison by the British and in 1923, by the Irish Free State. Every significant Irish nationalist leader was imprisoned here.

The confines of the cells and the general prison environment send chills up the spine.  How people could be incarcerated like this defies belief. And at the time, it was regarded as a ‘reformist prison’! Prior to it being built in the 1790s, prisoners were housed in the one cell, men, women and children. But while the ‘new cells’ still housed a number of people at a time, women and children were separated from the men.

A few photos from our tour.

Prison life is not fun

The claustrophobic west wing with tiny cells

The east wing, slightly more spacious

The ‘exercise’ yard

The courtyard where the leaders of the 1916 Easter uprising were executed

The plaque commemorating the execution of the leaders of the uprising

The exterior of the prison